Trailer...advise.
Discussion
sooo i've just bought a used SR3. Car is being delivered to the house at some point.
My next problem is finding a suitable trailer.
i'm not in any rush so ideally if i can save a few £k by buying used, then fantastic. The issue i have is obviously the very low ground clearance.
- firstly, the car is 4.1m x 1.8m, so i'm assuming a 4m x 2m trailer will suffice? Is it ok to run a trailer with 10cm of rear wing sticking out the back?
- is it possible to get a low enough trailer where i can use a combination of ramps (like the brian james ones) or is it simply not possible unless the bed can tilt?
or in other words, what's the maximum loading angle i can get away with?
My next problem is finding a suitable trailer.
i'm not in any rush so ideally if i can save a few £k by buying used, then fantastic. The issue i have is obviously the very low ground clearance.
- firstly, the car is 4.1m x 1.8m, so i'm assuming a 4m x 2m trailer will suffice? Is it ok to run a trailer with 10cm of rear wing sticking out the back?
- is it possible to get a low enough trailer where i can use a combination of ramps (like the brian james ones) or is it simply not possible unless the bed can tilt?
or in other words, what's the maximum loading angle i can get away with?
Edited by wioifoiee on Tuesday 30th November 23:43
BertBert said:
I would say it is normal with a Radical to load backwards otherwise the weight of the engine is in the wrong place on the trailer. So make sure that to the extent the rear wing hangs out over the back, there's nothing in the way on the trailer.
For loading angles, I happily used a BJ trailer without a tilt bed and normal (which may be longish) ramps. I possibly had some wood to keep the nose raised as it came off, but it was no hassle.
I'd say the width was ok, but 10cm gap each side is a bit tight and you need to get the tie downs in that gap. I'd suggest go a bit wider if it were at all possible. Having said that I ran with a tight trailer and used the strapping mechanism where the straps went over the centre of the wheels. Fiddly, but didn't need any spare width as it were.
Bert
do you have any pics of how you loaded it by any chance? For loading angles, I happily used a BJ trailer without a tilt bed and normal (which may be longish) ramps. I possibly had some wood to keep the nose raised as it came off, but it was no hassle.
I'd say the width was ok, but 10cm gap each side is a bit tight and you need to get the tie downs in that gap. I'd suggest go a bit wider if it were at all possible. Having said that I ran with a tight trailer and used the strapping mechanism where the straps went over the centre of the wheels. Fiddly, but didn't need any spare width as it were.
Bert
i can't quite picture in my head how you managed to do that. The angle from the edge of the front splitter to the bottom of the front tyre appears to be about 3 degrees.
BertBert said:
wioifoiee said:
do you have any pics of how you loaded it by any chance?
i can't quite picture in my head how you managed to do that. The angle from the edge of the front splitter to the bottom of the front tyre appears to be about 3 degrees.
Slow response here, sorry. No pictures that I can find, but will try and find some unless you are sorted with a bigger trailer.i can't quite picture in my head how you managed to do that. The angle from the edge of the front splitter to the bottom of the front tyre appears to be about 3 degrees.
Looks like i don't need a tilt trailer, as long as i get a fairly low trailer to begin with where the trailer bed sits quite low, in between the wheels (like Brian James e.g.), then i can just use the jockey wheel to get some tilt and finish the job with some wooden planks.
i was surprised how easy the car did roll down, only the wooden skidblocks under the splitter scuffed a bit.
still not sure of the total sequence of steps though - whether i have to hook the trailer to the car first before loading, or if i can load seperately and pull the trailer around by hand and lower it onto the towbar?
i also need to figure out the strapping procedure...i have a pair of centre tie-downs which go on the hubs, for the rear wheels. So i think with those i just need a pair of straps each, for each rear wheel.
As for the front i was going to use 2 ordinary wheel straps to tie down just to limit any bouncing.
Edited by wioifoiee on Tuesday 18th January 11:56
JayK12 said:
I had a Brian Jams A-MAX trailer (it was an open trailer) - I had car cover also. You really do need tilt, I had long ramps, and some extra scaffold boards at 1.8m long. And if your going alone get a electric winch. After my experience and then using an enclosed Brain James RS5, i wouldn't bother with an open trailer. Such a faff.
how did you go about tieing the car down? At this stage i'm not sure what spec of straps i need, and how many.
I've got a pair of radical tie-downs which i've attached to the rear wheels - i want to load it rear first.
I was then going to use 2 straps for each rear wheel, and then 2 more at the front to go over the wheel, just to limit any bouncing.
but at this stage no idea what spec of strap, or type, or the best practice way to tie vehicles down. Youtubes a bit hit and miss, guess i need to google a bit more. What did you do?
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